Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly last Thursday, Maïga urged Western countries to stop sending weapons to Ukraine, claiming the support is being diverted to activities that could spark international unrest.

“The Ukrainian government has become one of the suppliers of drones with explosives to terrorist groups worldwide. Countries continuing to support it should stop, as they risk fuelling international terrorism,” he said.

The accusations follow Mali’s decision to cut diplomatic ties with Ukraine in August 2024. At the time, Bamako accused Kyiv of involvement in a terrorist attack that killed Malian soldiers on a peacekeeping mission in Tinzaouaten, near the Algerian border.

The Malian government said the attack was backed by Ukrainian officials, including Andrey Yusov, spokesperson for Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, and Yury Pivovarov, Ukraine’s representative in Senegal. Both men allegedly expressed open support for armed groups seeking to destabilise Mali.

Maïga’s remarks echo similar claims made by Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, who alleged that Ukraine is funding fighters serving its interests in African countries allied with Moscow.

Ukraine has strongly denied the accusations. In a statement issued by its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kyiv said it has never provided any support to armed groups in northern Mali, either in military equipment or any other form.